50 Must-Read 50 Beta
← The Must-Read 50
Cover of Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley with Ron PowersFlags of Our Fathers
Modern · Nonfiction, Classics, War

Flags of Our Fathers

by James Bradley with Ron Powers
2000 · 382 pages · Nonfiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

James Bradley tells the story of the six men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima in 1945, the moment captured in the most famous photograph of the Second World War. One of them was his father, who never spoke of it. Bradley follows them from their childhoods through the battle and the fame and grief that followed.

Why it's worth reading

It spent 5 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a moving story of courage and of what heroism costs.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It was written with Ron Powers and filmed by Clint Eastwood.

By the numbers

71.0Must-Read Score
  • Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller34 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (5 weeks at #1)

Reads as

True story

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

If you like this, read next

Cover of The Book Thief by Markus ZusakThe Book Thief
The Book ThiefMarkus Zusak
Cover of The Help by Kathryn StockettThe Help
The HelpKathryn Stockett
Cover of The Glass Castle by Jeannette WallsThe Glass Castle
The Glass CastleJeannette Walls
Cover of The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister SouljahThe Coldest Winter Ever
The Coldest Winter EverSister Souljah
Cover of Every Living Thing by James HerriotEvery Living Thing
Every Living ThingJames Herriot
Cover of The Bottoms by Joe R. LansdaleThe Bottoms
The BottomsJoe R. Lansdale

Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →

Quick answers

Is Flags of Our Fathers worth reading?

Yes. It spent 5 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,190 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.0 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Flags of Our Fathers about?

James Bradley tells the story of the six men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima in 1945, the moment captured in the most famous photograph of the Second World War. One of them was his father, who never spoke of it. Bradley follows them from their childhoods through the battle and the fame and grief that followed.

How long does it take to read Flags of Our Fathers?

About 10 hours (382 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Flags of Our Fathers?

If you liked it, try Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, The Pacific by Hugh Ambrose or The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw.